Of Roses and Rings
by NotSoJollywood
Summary: Rose never ended up in Pete's World at the end of Doomsday; something when horribly wrong with the vortex manipulator and she was separated from both her family and the Doctor. Instead, she finds herself stuck in Middle Earth, travelling alongside men, hobbits, a dwarf and an elf.
1. Chapter 1

Of Roses and Rings

Summary: Rose never ended up in Pete's World; something when horribly wrong with the vortex manipulator and she was separated from both her family and the Doctor. Instead, she finds herself in Middle Earth, travelling alongside men, hobbits, a dwarf and an elf.

Author's Note: Hey! So I was re-watching Lord of the Rings over this weekend, and it occurred to me that I have always wanted to write a fic. But of course, the only thing I could think of was the ever original "girl gets sucked into ME" plot. I always enjoy reading them, so I decided I would try my hand at writing it. So, I thought I would add the Doctor Who element to add something different, and see where it ended up.

Anyway, I know it's short and I apologize. But I'm just trying to get the ball rolling, so to speak. Once it picks up, the chapters will get much longer. I hope you like it – and please don't hesitate to let me know if I get something wrong. I'm going to try to keep it as accurate as possible, but I'm not perfect. If I do something wrong, please let me know!

Oh, and I'm sorry if I get anything wrong in terms of Lord of the Rings – I've read the books ages ago, and only really remember details from the movies. I've looked up certain things, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I don't claim to know everything.

* * *

**Chapter One**

Rose Tyler felt almost everything as the Void tried to pull her in; her grip on the magnetic clamp tightened as her body was being pulled in the opposite direction. She would not allow herself to be sucked into the vast unknown. In the corner of her eye, she saw both Daleks and Cybermen falling into the very same unknown, forever being sealed there. But she was really looking at the Doctor. The miraculous man was holding on for his life as well, but he was smiling and having the time of his life. Even in the most dangerous of situations, the Doctor would enjoy himself. He was in his element. Rose had to admit, she was feeling exhilarated as well. All of her adventures with the Doctor, no matter how dangerous or life threatening, gave her a rush that no ordinary thing on the planet Earth could do. And to think, she would be travelling with him and saving planets for the rest of her life!

She was still looking at the Doctor when she saw the lever begin to fall out of place from the corner of her eye. Her eyes went wide with fear; if the level closed then the Void would seal itself shut. Countless Daleks and Cybermen would roam Earth freely, destroying everything in their path. Rose could not let that happened – she had to protect her planet.

With one hand on the magnetic clamp that kept her from falling into the unknown, she tried to reach for the lever. She could feel the pull of the Void even more now. Her fingers barely grazed the metal lever, and she had to reach even further to get her hands around it. Carefully, she let go of the magnetic clamp and reached for the thin lever. As she got both her hands around it, she could feel herself being sucked into the Void. It took every fiber of her being to fight the pressure and push it back into its place.

"I've got to get it upright," She yelled to the Doctor, who looked on with panic. She knew that the Doctor would never forgive himself if she was sucked into the Void. She had to do this for him, if not for herself. It took all of her strength, but she managed to push the lever up. She felt the metal rod lock into place; it would not move from that spot anymore.

"_Online and locked," _She heard a disembodied computer voice announce. She gripped the lever tightly, holding onto it while the Void continued to pull her in the opposite direction. She could hear the Doctor telling her to hold on, the panic evident in his voice. The Void would seal shut soon; she just needed to hold out a little while longer! She tightened her grip, but it was to no avail – the force of the Void was too strong for her.

She screamed as she completely lost her grip on her lifeline – it was still in place but she was now flying backward. She heard the Doctor screaming for her, but all she could focus on was the feeling of the fall. Her stomach felt as if it were coming out through her throat. She braced herself for the Void, although she did not know what to expect from it. It felt as if she was falling forever. What very well may have been a couple of seconds felt like minutes to her. And suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. Her first thought was that the Doctor, once again, managed the impossible; she knew he would always come for her. She looked to see her rescuer. It was her father. Pete Tyler, from the parallel world, had come back for her. She knew what he was going to do now – she would be brought back to his world and away from the Doctor forever.

She took one last look at the man who irrevocably changed her life.

And in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Rose felt herself being dragged through the Void and across worlds, but the only thing that she focused on was her thoughts of the Doctor. She pictured his face as she was falling; he had a look of terror and worry plastered on it. He was concerned about her and the terror she would face she were to be sealed into the Void with nothing but Daleks and Cybermen for comfort. Rose shuddered at the thought, but knew that if that were the case, then the Doctor would find a way to rescue her. He would find a way to save her from such a fate.

As Rose and Pete were travelling through the Void and to the parallel world, Rose only thought of the Doctor. This was it; she would never see him again. At the realization that she would forever be away from the Doctor, Rose Tyler let out a scream of agony. She could feel her heart break a thousand times over. Too absorbed in her own pain, Rose did not feel Pete's startled reaction to her scream. She only barely noticed as Pete's grip on her unintentionally loosened. She was only slightly aware that she was slipping from his grasp.

Before she could process what was happening around her. Rose Tyler landed with a thud on the cold, hard, ground. She could immediately determine that some part of her body had to be severely bruised. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the bright light of her new surroundings. She was outside now, on the edge of a large forest. She did not dare enter it; it gave her an eerie feeling. As she tried to gain a sense of her surroundings, Rose grew confused; this was most definitely not Pete's world. But it was not hers either. She had no idea where she was, and no idea how she would ever get back to him. To the man that she so desperately needed right now.

She knew that he would never be able to hear her, but she had to call out his name one last time, "Doctor!"

* * *

The entire Fellowship turned at the sound. It came from behind them, although Legolas had been certain no one was following them. They had been moving quickly to ensure no spies had seen their whereabouts. But they all knew that since they had left the mines of Moria, orcs and other agents of the Enemy would soon be on their trail. He instinctively raised his bow; an automatic reflex that saved his life on numerous occasions. He assumed this time would be no different. He and Aragorn looked at each other, shooting worried glances. No one understood what the scream meant, but it sounded like the creature was in a great deal of pain. Legolas was never one to kill for reasons of mercy, but the shouts would attract unwanted attention to the Fellowship. It has to be stopped. With his sensitive hearing, Legolas was able to hear where the poor creature was coming from. It was towards the edge of the forest– had someone been following them since they had left Moria?

"Boromir, Gimli, stay with the Halflings," Legolas heard Aragorn instruct. The two skilled fighters nodded and drew their weapons, while Aragorn and Legolas made their way to the source of the noise.

The forest was a dark place, but Legolas' eyes had adjusted quickly. He could see farther than the human beside him, and he led his friend through the dark and to the source of the noise, carefully avoiding stepping on fallen branches that would cause noise and draw attention to them. As they listened more, they could hear faint crying. It was soft, and sounded distinctly feminine. Legolas had to wonder what anything feminine would be doing out here in the wilderness, still far from the safety of Lothlòrien, especially during such dangerous times.

The group of three finally came upon the source of the mysterious sound. It was a yellow haired maiden, whose face was buried in her knees. She appeared to be crying, but Legolas could not see her face clearly enough to be certain. She was saying something, yet it was hard to understand her words between her frequent sobs.

"What is she doing here?" Aragorn looked to the elf for the answer, but he could provide none. He was just as puzzled as his friend; it was certainly strange to see a woman crying alone on the edge of the tree line. At the sound of Aragorn's voice, the woman's head shot up, and her eyes widened. Legolas, with his bow still raised, aimed at her in case of an attack. Even if she was a female, she could still be a spy for the Enemy. The maiden's eyes broadened at the sight of the bow, and she put her hands up in defense. She quickly rose to her feet, and backed away from the weapon which was pointed at her.

"There is no need for sharp objects, mate." She said hastily as she continued to back away from the man and the elf. Despite her objections, Legolas did not lower his bow. He looked at the maiden with hostile eyes, while Aragorn stared intently at the blonde maiden with a look of pity. Legolas took in more of her features – she appeared to be of the race of men. But the tears running down her face were mixed with something black – something that Legolas had never seen before. It made him even more suspicious of her, and he kept his arrow raised.

"Legolas," Aragorn said without taking his eyes off of the girl, "Lower your weapon."

Legolas did as he was told, although he did not think it particularly wise. While the maiden did not appear to be armed, Legolas was never one to let his guard down. His attentiveness to his surroundings had saved his life on many occasions, and he did not wish to break the habit now. While his bow was lowered, he kept it ready to strike at a moment's notice. Should anything happen, he could kill her within seconds.

Aragorn took a step towards the maiden, and spoke in a soft voice, "What are you doing in this place?"

The maiden appeared to calm herself due to the lowering of the bow and Aragorn's calm voice. But she looked more confused and lost. She shook her head, "I don't know. One moment I was with the Doctor at the Torchwood Tower. We opened the Void, and all of the Daleks and Cybermen were getting sucked into it. I almost did too, and the Pete came from the Parallel World to save me. But then, I ended up here – I don't know how. All I know is that the Void is sealed for good now, and the Doctor will never be able to find me here."

The woman looked around, as if searching for any sort of confirmation as to where "here" was. Legolas raised his eyebrows at the woman's tale. He could not make sense of it. He did not understand her strange vocabulary; words such as "Torchwood" and "Cybermen" had made him even more suspicious. He looked to his companion, and saw conflict on his face. Aragorn sighed deeply, extending his hand to the woman. He did not look happy about his own decision. She looked at it for a moment, wondering what to do. After a minute, she took Aragorn's hand and he helped her up off the dirty ground.

"What are you doing?" Legolas asked in Sindarin, as he pulled his friend to the side so only he could hear the elf's words. He made no attempt to mask his disapproval. "She could be a spy."

"Legolas_,_ _mellon nin_," Aragorn said to his companion, his voice calm yet authoritative, "We cannot leave her alone here. This is no place for a woman, and she is in just as much danger as the rest of us are. Look at her; I do not think she could be a spy."

"Even if she were not a spy," Legolas continued, "We cannot bring her with us on our journey. She is one more person to protect – one who is not supposed to know of the burden we carry." Legolas looked at the woman, his distrust mounting. They had to protect the Halflings, especially Frodo, who could not yet skillfully defend themselves from an attack. They did not need someone else to look after, especially when there was so much at stake.

"Look at her," His friend took a step closer to him, and said quietly so only the elf would hear, "She is dressed in a strange manner, she is alone and desperate. We can take her as far as Lothlòrien, to where it would at least be safe for her. At the very least, the Lord and Lady will know what to do with her. We do not have to tell her of our burden." His voice was commanding, leaving no room for the elf's dissent.

Legolas nodded once, although not fully convinced. He did not like the idea of another companion on this quest, and liked the fact that they did not know a thing about her even less. But he did not say anything else, but merely watched the maiden intently as the travelers went to join the rest of their group.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Okay all! There is the first chapter. Please let me know what you think! I have a couple of chapters of this story actually written, so the next one (provided you all actually WANT a next one) should be out shortly.

Please note that a lot of this is going to be LOTR based. Sorry, no aliens! Just your average servants of Morgoth, crazy hobbits, and of course some Legomance (sorry, I couldn't help myself. However, there will be some Doctor Who tie ins here and there. And I am planning on some Doctor appearances for later on, but I don't want to give too much away! So please, review! Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Of Roses and Rings

Summary: Rose never ended up in Pete's World; something when horribly wrong with the vortex manipulator and she was separated from her family. Instead, she finds herself in Middle Earth, travelling alongside men, hobbits, a dwarf and an elf.

Author's Note: Okay, so I had a little bit of difficulty when it came to writing this chapter. I don't know why, but it was so hard for me to write. I personally think I need to reread the books, since I'm going off just my memory. So, I apologize if I completely butcher something that was beloved to people. I really don't mean to do it.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Despite the fact that she had a deadly weapon pointed at her head only a few short moments ago, Rose Tyler was happy that she found some sort of companions in this strange new world. One of them may have almost tried to kill her, but she was so glad to have found someone else in this strange universe that she was willing to look past it.

She had a feeling that these people did not trust her. As the three of them walked deeper into the forest, they spoke in a language that she did not understand. It was odd for her; Rose had become so used to the Tardis translating everything for her, even the most simple of Earth languages. Having any language barrier again startled her, and she felt herself trying to follow along with the men's conversation and failing miserably at it. She knew that they were talking about her, although she didn't know what they were saying. For all Rose knew, they could be taking her back to their camp so they could eat her, or harvest her organs. If the Doctor were here, this never would have happened. Then again, if Rose was still with the Doctor, she would be in her own proper world, where she belonged.

Her thoughts of the Doctor made her instantly sad. Having a sharp arrow pointed to her head made her forget her situation for a moment, but she felt relatively safe and thoughts of the Doctor came rushing back to her. She would be without him forever now. She did not even have a choice in the matter. How could she manage living like that? How could she manage being on a strange planet like this one without him? She could never do it on her own; she needed him. She needed him to get out of this mess, but he had no idea she was in trouble. He believed she was fine with her mother and father and Mickey. Her mum! What would Jackie Tyler think? Pete would know Rose wasn't with the Doctor; her poor mother would be worried sick about her. Merely thinking about the Doctor and the family that she would never see again made Rose Tyler want to bawl. But she dare not show any weakness with the two strange men so close to her. If there was one thing that travelling in the Tardis taught her, it was that she had to appear strong, even when she was terrified.

After a few minutes of walking with the two men, Rose saw another group in the distance. She braced herself for the worst; if she fought off the Daleks, she could take a small group of bow and sword wielding cannibals. Once again, she looked at her surroundings, trying to plan an escape route if necessary. But it was no use; she felt defenseless without the Doctor. All of her resourcefulness had been due to his influence. She was strong because of him, and without him she had nothing worth fighting for.

The group greeted the two men, all of them eyeing Rose carefully. She did not appreciate the way that they were looking at her; it was as if she was some evil alien. But she tried not to let her fear show. She looked at each one of them, assessing them in case of a fight. Five of them were extremely short, while the other one appeared to be an average man. Four looked like they were barely children, but each held a sword. Rose had to wonder what kind of world she was on, or what kind of parallel universe this was.

The group spoke to one another in hushed tones to make sure that she could not hear them. Occasionally, one looked up at her with distrusting eyes. After what seemed like forever, she heard someone say, "Frodo will decide." They all turned to one of the smaller people. They looked at him expectantly, but he was staring at Rose. He was sizing her up as if making a decision. Was he deciding to let her stay? Or if they would kill her and be done with it? Rose wondered if he was the leader of the group. What made this small person so special that he was able to decide her fate? Rose shifted her weight uncomfortably; there was something about him that just didn't sit right with her. There was something strange and off putting about this Frodo.

He spoke to his companions, "She will stay with us." His words led to more arguing within the group. Especially from the blonde man.

"We know nothing of this woman. She appears out of nowhere at the edge of the woods, right after we have lost one of our own. We cannot trust her. And she is another burden to bear. One that we cannot afford." Another man nodded in agreement at the blonde's words.

Rose was indignant at the assumption that she would have been a burden. "I have faced Daleks, Cybermen, Autons. You name it. I can handle myself." Rose didn't mention that she faced all of those terrible creatures alongside the Doctor. She didn't want to explain the mad man with a blue box to these people. Her situation was already far too complicated, and she did not want her face to betray any emotions regarding the Doctor.

However, Rose's interjection did not seem to help her cause. The group of eight only regarded her with even more skepticism. These people had apparently never heard of Daleks or Cybermen. Rose felt compelled to explain her case even further to these people. Perhaps then they would understand.

"I was travelling to the Parallel World with Pete, my father I guess you'd say, and I got lost. I'm from the planet Earth." Rose tried to reason with the group. It was infinitely more difficult to gain their trust without the Doctor by her side. What she wouldn't give for some psychic paper at that moment. It would be so much easier to defend herself against their accusations. She wished the Doctor was there. The thoughts of the Doctor brought back a wave of pain. She felt herself getting emotional at the mere thought of him. "I just want to go back home!"

The group looked startled at her outburst and one of the men moved quickly to put his hand over her mouth. Rose panicked; what were they trying to do to her? Were they going to restrain her? Did they decide that they were going to kill her? She did the only thing that she could think to do. She bit down on the man's hand. He jerked his hand back as a reflex and Rose used that time to break herself free of his grip.

One of the other men took a step towards her, and put his hands out in what Rose could only assume to be an effort to calm her down. "You must keep quiet. There are creatures in these woods that would love to see you dead." Rose quieted instantly. She took a step back, not trusting any of the men that she was with. Rose had faced many dangers in her life, but never before had she been so uncertain of her safety.

"We must keep moving," The lighter haired man said to the group. "The woman has drawn attention to our location; we will have orcs upon us within the hour." Without another word, the group moved deeper and deeper into the woods. Rose had no choice but to follow them; she did not want to stick around and find out exactly what these orcs were.

Rose walked with the small people, for they seemed the less threatening out of the group of eight. Two of the smaller people kept to themselves, while the other two were more sociable. "What's your name?" One of the short ones asked her.

Rose smiled, grateful for at least some friendliness in the party, "I'm Rose. Rose Tyler."

"I'm Pippin," The one that addressed her said, "And this is Merry. Tell us about where you are from."

Rose hesitated for a moment. Thinking of home was a little too painful. If the Doctor was right, and he always was, the Void sealed itself shut. Home was lost to her now. She was stuck in this strange place forever. And while she didn't necessarily want to talk about the home she had just lost at the moment, any silence on it would make them distrust her even further. So, Rose indulged the young man before her. "I'm from the Planet Earth – a city called London."

"London," Pippin repeated slowly, letting the word roll off of his tongue. "I have never heard of it before. What is it like?"

"Busy," Rose replied, "And not like this. There are only a few wide open spaces. There are buildings everywhere. Everybody is always rushing about, and it is so crowded. It wasn't for me – which is why I spent most of my time traveling."

"Traveling?" Merry said, his voice becoming eager, "Do you go on many adventures?"

Rose smiled sadly at his question, "Yes. When I met the Doctor, my entire life became one big adventure."

"The Doctor?" Pippin asked, "Who is that?"

Rose Tyler gave the small man a sad smile. "He was a man. A remarkable man." And that was all that she would say on the subject.

Pippin looked like he could sense her discomfort, so he mercifully changed the subject. "Well, hobbits are not really known for their adventures. Unless you count us, and Bilbo, that is."

"Hobbit?" Rose asked, "What's a hobbit?"

This caused a chuckle from a few members of this strange group that she was now with.

"We're hobbits, Lady Rose." Came another voice. It was another one of the shorter men. "Samwise Gamgee, my lady."

Rose had to give a small smile at the politeness of the young man in front of her. "Tell me about where you're from," And so, Sam, Merry and Pippin began talking all about their homeland. She heard all about the quiet life in the Shire, their proud lack of adventures, and, most importantly, the food. Rose fell into a comfortable stride with the four hobbits, listening to their stories and trying desperately not to think of her own home.

They had been walking for what felt like an hour when she heard it. It was faint, almost like a whisper. It was her name, and she could recognize the voice almost anywhere. It was the Doctor. She stopped dead in her tracks, looking all around her for the man to whom the voice belonged. But he was nowhere to be seen. The group that she was with all stopped as well, confused as to Rose's erratic behavior. Couldn't they hear it too? Merry, Pippin, and their companions all looked at her with wonder as she scoured the area for the source of that amazing, wonderful, perfect voice. She peered behind every tree, and her eyes searched the sky. They must have thought she was insane, but Rose didn't care. She wanted the Doctor to be here, to come and bring her away from this strange place.

After a few moments, the black haired man urged Rose to keep moving with the rest of the group, "We need to keep moving. It is dangerous to stay in one place for too long."

Rose did as she was told, although she continued to keep her eyes out for the only one who could save her from this place.

* * *

Legolas was still distrusting of the maiden who seemed to have literally dropped from the sky. Two of the hobbits were conversing with her, telling them stories from their homeland. Legolas wished that they would not do that. Whoever she was, it was best if she knew as little of the Fellowship as possible. Legolas was not interested in personal issues, but rather the details as to why she was here and what brought her so close to the Fellowship in the first place. Was this Doctor that she spoke of another spy? When she called for him at the edge of the forest, was she signaling for an attack? He was hoping that upon reaching Lothlòrien, the Lady Galadriel would have some answers. The powerful elleth would know something about this stranger, Legolas was certain of it.

Until they reached the city and could be certain of her intentions, Legolas kept his eyes on the maiden, watching her every move in the case of an ambush. She stayed away from him, noticeably wary of his presence and distrust of her. As he looked on from a distance, Legolas could see that she was looking around expectantly. Who was she looking for? She was searching for something, or someone. Perhaps it was this healer that she spoke about upon their first meeting. He scanned the surrounding area, thankful that he was gifted with elvish sight. He would see someone approaching long before this woman would. Legolas' thoughts were interrupted as the Fellowship saw a ring of arrows surrounding them. The hobbits looked frightened, and Rose let out a cry of fear. Instinctively, Legolas raised his own bow in retaliation, ready to defend the Fellowship if need be.

"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark," came a voice from behind the arrows. Legolas could see Haldir, captain of the Guard. Gimli looked at the elf with contempt; it was no secret that the dwarf hated the elves. Out of the corner of his eye, Legolas watched the maiden. She was staring wide eyed at the elves, and at the bows pointed in her direction. While she was on edge, she seemed much calmer than she had when Legolas had threatened her.

The elves of Lothlòrien lowered their bows, much to the relief of the hobbits and Rose. Legolas saw her calm down as the immediate threat subsided. Legolas, Aragorn and Haldir all greeted each other, while the dwarf grumbled about not being able to understand the Elfish that was being spoken.

Haldir looked on, assessing the Fellowship and its new companion. Legolas hoped they would be allowed into Lothlòrien; they needed to recoup after losing Gandalf. Without the Istar, he feared that the quest was doomed to fail. Gandalf was the backbone of the Fellowship. It was futile without him. Haldir's eyes fell upon Frodo, "You bring a great evil with you. You can go no further."

Aragorn stepped up to speak to Haldir, in an attempt to convince him that it was necessary that the Fellowship stay with the elves for a short time. While standing guard for that conversation, Legolas looked to Rose once again. She was sitting with two Halflings, while Frodo and Sam were sitting at a distance. Merry and Pippin were watching the conversation intently, while Rose continued to pester them with questions. Even though she whispered, Legolas could hear her quite clearly, "Who are these people?"

"Elves," Merry said quietly, unwilling to give any more information.

"Elves," She repeated warily; Legolas could hear her groan. "It is official, I have gone insane." She huffed to herself, and the conversation between Haldir, Aragorn, and Legolas continued. Despite its importance, Legolas felt his attention divert back to the maiden. He could not help but wonder at her circumstances. He still did not trust her, but he was curious about her.

Finally, the silence was broken. "You will follow me." Haldir said solemnly; Aragorn had convinced the elf to let the group stay in Lothlòrien. Legolas was grateful; the group was in need of rest. He could only hope that the elves would allow Rose to stay with them. The Fellowship's quest was already in danger of failure. The risk of that increased if this stranger was forced to stay with them.

Legolas, along with the rest of the Fellowship followed the elves. Legolas looked to Rose to make sure she was following. He saw her head shoot up, as if someone had just called her name. She was looking around again, as if looking for someone who was not there. This was the most enthusiastic that Legolas had seen her since he and Aragorn had found her. Her eyes continued searching through the trees, even as the Fellowship entered Lothlòrien. This was the second time that he noticed her doing that. The rest of his companions also noticed the strange behavior on the part of the woman. Legolas and Aragorn exchanged worried glances. Legolas frowned; who was this woman and what was she doing in Middle Earth?


	3. Chapter 3

Of Roses and Rings

Summary: Rose never ended up in Pete's World; something when horribly wrong with the vortex manipulator and she was separated from her family. Instead, she finds herself in Middle Earth, travelling alongside men, hobbits, a dwarf and an elf.

Author's Note: Okay, so I kind of forgot to mention this. I feel like it goes without saying, but just in case – Rose never made it to the parallel world in this. That means that she never became Defender of the Earth, and the events in Series 4 never happened. So, for the sake of this story, don't think too much into it! I'm doing this for fun, and like every crossover, things in canon will get messed up slightly.

Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Rose Tyler had seen many beautiful things in her life. She traveled to distant planets that most could never dream of, seen the sun explode, and had saved the Earth on numerous occasions. She thought that she had seen it all. But this place was unlike anything she had ever encountered before. There were staircases and homes in the trees. The people who occupied it were beautiful and otherworldly, much like the hostile elf that attempted to kill her only a few hours before. The place was beautiful, in an ethereal way. But Rose knew better than most that everything was not what it seemed. The hobbits and the dwarf that she had traveled with seemed unsure about the place; Rose understood their sentiment. She could not shake the eerie feeling that came upon entering the city.

The eerie feeling did not go away. In fact, it only worsened as she ascended the spiral wooden staircases of the city. The group that she was with paused in front of another staircase as if they were waiting for something. Rose wondered if this would be a good time for her to slip off and escape. Maybe she could hide in the city, and no one would notice. But as she thought about it, people would realize she was different. She already felt out of place, but these tall beautiful people – _elves - _that lived in this city made her feel even more like an outsider than she already was. She was too scared to run; something was holding her feet to the ground. She stood, almost paralyzed, as two of the most beautiful people she had ever seen descended the staircase.

"The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone." The man who had come to greet them had said. _Well, _Rose thought to herself, _this place is seriously lacking on the pleasantries. _But Rose could not help but wonder what the elves were talking about. Who was the Enemy? Why was this small group such a secret? Rose was curious, and in any other circumstance she would have spoken out and asked. But there was something about the woman standing before her that made Rose just shut up and listen.

"Nine there are here," The man continued, looking at the faces of each one of this strange group, "But not the original nine set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar."

There was a short, uncomfortable silence that followed. Rose's head shot up. Who was this other person? Where was he? She was curious to know the answer too.

The eerily beautiful woman finally spoke, "Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow."

The blonde haired elf who had found rose finally spoke up, "He was taken by both Shadow and Flame: a balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

Rose was listening intently to the conversation before her. She was interested to know of the details of this group, and the events leading up to Rose joining them.

"Needless were none of the deeds in Gandalf's life. We do not yet know his whole purpose." The woman said, reassuringly. "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dûm fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin."

For the first time in a long while, Rose noticed the dwarf, whose name must have been Gimli. The look he had was one of despair. Rose hoped he'd take comfort in this strange lady's words.

"For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands, love is now mingled with grief." It is almost as if she looked at Rose specifically in that moment. Rose shifted on her feet uncomfortably, wanting to run and hide from this strange woman's case.

_You have come from very far, stranger. But do not give up hope, things once lost have a way of finding us again. _Rose Tyler looked up; it was as if someone spoke directly to her. The eyes of the elf woman were fixed on Rose, almost as if she knew her. It was most definitely her voice, but how could she have done that? What did she even mean?

Out of the corner of her eye, Rose saw the blonde elf looking at her intently. His eyes were still filled with distrust. Rose knew that he hated her, but she wanted to know why. What had she ever done to him? She tried to shrug it off, but every time she caught him glancing at her, she questioned herself again.

"What now becomes of this Fellowship? Without Gandalf, hope is lost."

The woman responded, "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all."

This made Rose feel even more uncomfortable. She did not know about any sort of quest, but could deduce that this was really important. She did not want it to fail.

"Yet hope remains while the company is true." She looked to every one of what they called the Fellowship. Her eyes landed on Rose last, and lingered there for a few seconds longer than Rose was comfortable with. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace."

* * *

They were to set up camp within the city. She wanted to help, but without much wilderness or survival knowledge, she was useless. She attempted to help one of the men create an awning, but it was to no avail. They got frustrated with her, and ignored her for the greater part of setting up. She could easily sense that these people did not want her around, and still did not trust her. They refused to let her help. Instead of causing more trouble for these people, Rose sat against a tree by herself.

That was when she heard the singing. It was beautiful, in an eerie sort of way. The elves singing sounded as if they were sad. The blonde elf whose name she still did not know said something about a lament, sparking a conversation with the hobbits. But Rose tuned them out. She was too busy listening to the song. It was haunting, no doubt a song of grief. That was when she heard it; it said her name. Calling her out of her trance and back to reality. It was him.

_Rose._

Rose's head perked up at the sound of his voice. Her smile grew wide, and she got up to follow the noise. She didn't care that the hobbits were calling for her to stop, she needed to find out where it was coming from. All she could think about was getting back to the Doctor, and back to her proper universe. After a few minutes of looking, she was at a part of the city that she had not seen before. It was secluded. This was where the voice was leading her; she could feel it.

He came out of thin air. There was no Tardis, no familiar whirring that signaled that home was just a short trip away. It was just the Doctor, standing alone in this beautiful forest city with Rose.

"Where are you?" Rose had to ask it; he was obviously not in front of her. She could see right through him; he looked like he could have been a ghost. Rose's heart fell. If the Doctor was not really there, and there was no Tardis, then she couldn't go home. She couldn't go back with the Doctor. She would be stuck in this strange world for the rest of her life.

"In the Tardis," He replied, "There is one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. It takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a supernova. I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

Rose felt the tears welling up. Of course the Doctor would do something like that. It was so very him. For a moment, Rose thought of Sarah Jane. He hadn't even said goodbye to her, he left her thinking that he would come back for her. Rose had to push that thought from her mind; once Rose told him that she wasn't with her family in Pete's world, he wound find his way to her. But she couldn't bring herself to say the words. Instead, all she could think to say was, "You look like a ghost."

"Hold on," He pointed the sonic screwdriver at something and his projection became clearer. It looked as if she was standing right in front of him. She wanted this to be the case, more than anything. Looking at the Doctor at that moment, all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him. To tell her the things that she had felt since they first beat the Daleks on Satellite Five. Rose approached him now, reaching out her hand to caress his face, "I'm still just an image. No touch."

Rose wanted to say something; she tried to think of anything to say to the man who was her best friend. But the Doctor beat her to it, "Where are we? Where did the gap come out?"

"I don't know," Rose said, taking a deep breath, "I'm not in Pete's World. I'm not with Mum, or him, or Mickey. While we were passing over to his world, something happened. I don't know where I am. It's not a proper world. There are elves, and hobbits." As she saw the Doctor's face contort with worry for her, Rose felt the tears beginning to fall. She would never find her way back to him, would she? He couldn't come rescue her, because the universe would collapse. For a moment, Rose didn't care. All she wanted was to be with the Doctor. "How long have you got?"

"About two minutes," The Doctor said, and already Rose could see his mind reeling, "Rose, don't worry. I will find a way to get you out of there; safe and sound. I don't know how, but Rose I promise you that I won't leave you there."

"It will fracture the Universe," She countered, although she already felt hope that the Doctor would rescue her building inside of her.

"So?" Rose had to laugh; that was not something that the Doctor would say. "Rose, I will find my way back to you. I will set this right, I promise you. Are you with anyone there? What are you doing? Where are you staying?"

The Doctor's concern for her well being made her even more emotional, "I don't know. This group of people that found me, they took me in. They helped get me here, but I don't know what I am going to do. They don't want me around, I can tell that much. I don't know anything about this place."

"You'll be brilliant," The Doctor said, "Rose Tyler, I have complete faith in you. I know you will be completely fine until I am able to come get you there. You're dead officially back home. So many people died that day and you'd gone missing; you're on the list of the dead. But here you are, living life day after day. Keep it that way, Rose. Please, for me."

"Are you going to be on your own?" It was the only reply Rose could even think of. She didn't want the Doctor to be out there on his own, alone in the Tardis. But he nodded, and gave her a small, sad smile. Rose's heart broke for him. Ever since she met the mad man with the blue box, Rose cared for him so deeply. She didn't want to see him alone, with no one to look after him. "I-I love you."

The Doctor gave a half-hearted smirk, "Quite right too. And I suppose, if it's the last chance I'll ever get to say it, Rose Tyler –"

The Doctor never got to finish his sentence. Rose was left standing alone in the forest, never knowing what the Doctor was going to say to her. But she had one hope: that the Doctor would come for her. That he would find his way to her, and save her from this place. She needed that hope; it would be the only thing that would get her through being at this place. Rose let the tears fall, knowing that it would be a while before the Doctor ever got to her. She was so consumed in her own grief that she did not notice the blonde elf who witnessed the entire conversation.

* * *

Legolas had gone to follow the maiden, to instruct her that it was best not to wander off in Lothlòrien without someone to escort her. He did not know why he cared what happened to her; he told himself that it did not matter to him. But earlier in the evening, he had heard Lady Galadriel's voice in his head. _Thranduillion, do not look to distrust when there is no need to. _Legolas could only assume the Lady meant Rose. And so, it was with the Lady's words in mind that the elf prince took after the woman.

What Legolas did find was something more than he could ever have imagined. Who was the man in the strange clothes that could disappear into thin air? What did they mean when they were speaking of parallel worlds? What did he mean that he would come and rescue her? What was more was that Legolas had heard the entire conversation; they were speaking in _Sindarin._ Legolas had known there was something strange about the woman. But he could not have guessed that she could be from a different world entirely. That her tall tales had an element of truth to them.

When she told the man that she loved him, and he disappeared, Legolas let the maiden sit there for a few minutes to calm herself. She sobbed uncontrollably. When she seemed tranquil enough, Legolas stepped out of the shadows to make his presence known. The woman looked up at him, noticeably unsure of how to respond to him. Legolas did not waste time with asking questions. He wanted to know more information; for all that he knew it could have been a ploy of the White Wizard. In his native tongue, he demanded, "Who was that man?"

Rose looked up blankly, as if she did not understand what he was saying. Legolas repeated his question with exasperation. He had heard the woman speaking Sindarin just a few moments ago. She was lying in feigning ignorance of the language. He had heard her use it almost fluently only a few minutes before. When Rose did not respond, Legolas felt his Elvin resolve falter, and he became frustrated. He reverted back to speaking Common. "Who was that man?" He pointed to where the man had been standing.

Rose looked over, and pointed in that same place, "The Doctor."

The Doctor. Those were the same words that she had called out to when he first encountered her, as well as before they reached Lothlòrien. Was she calling for a rescue? Legolas had never questioned anything more in his entire existence. He shook his head, as if it would help clear up the confusion that plagued him. But it did not. "Why could you speak before in Sindarin, but cannot understand now?"

For a moment, Rose did not answer. After regaining some of her composure, she began to explain. "That was the Tardis. It can translate things from other languages to English. Or, to whatever language you speak. It's how we understand people when the Doctor and I travel to different planets."

What was a Tardis? Travelling to different planets? Legolas was about to interrogate the maiden more; his distrust of her was mounting along with his confusion. The Lady's advice was all but forgotten now. But he heard footsteps approaching. Without taking his eyes off of Rose, he said to Aragorn in Sindarin, "I found her here talking to a man. She calls him the Doctor. He disappeared into thin air, as if he was a sorcerer."

The man frowned, but restrained Legolas saying anymore to the girl. "The Lady Galadriel and Celeborn wish to speak to us."

Legolas nodded, walking ahead of the man and Rose. He would leave Aragorn to fend for the girl; until he knew more about her, he wanted nothing to do with Rose.

* * *

Aragorn had left Rose alone at the camp, although she did not appear distraught at being left alone. The rest of the Fellowship had avoided her also, sensing that the woman wanted to be left alone with her own thoughts. Her encounter earlier had left her distant from the rest of the group. Legolas was grateful for that; while she was not around him, his mind could focus on more important tasks. But as the two warriors gathered to hear the advice of Galadriel, Legolas' thoughts drifted to the maiden once more. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. Yet, Legolas could not bring himself to be kind to her, as the others had. His thoughts were interrupted as the Lady of Lorien approached.

"The journey that lays before will not be easy," The Lady said, looking to each member of the group. "On you, much depends. However, you are not without help. The Valar have sent you someone; this woman who arrived with you must remain a part of the Fellowship."

Legolas felt his fury rising; he had been hoping that they would be able to leave her here in city. He did not want someone as unskilled and untrustworthy as her on as important of a quest as this. The fate of Middle Earth depended on their mission to destroy the Ring. They could not allow some strange woman to jeopardize it. Legolas wanted to open his mouth in protested, but he could not. He listened as Galadriel continued, "She is trustworthy, and has seen many dark things in her past. She will remain true, I have seen her heart."

Legolas dared not question Galadriel's words; he knew of her great power and ability to see inside of people. Tales of her famed Mirror and gift of foresight were legend among his kin. She would not be wrong about Rose. Yet, Legolas was still hesitant to trust her. Especially after what he had seen with the strange man earlier that day.

"You must take time here to rest," Galadriel stated, "Mourn for Gandalf the Grey; build up your strength so that his passing will not have been in vain."

Aragorn nodded, thanking the Lady for all of her hospitality. Legolas bowed his head as a sign of respect, although he did not agree with letting the maiden remain a part of the Fellowship. But the rest of the Fellowship appeared to believe the words of Galadriel, and Legolas dared not question it. But he vowed that he would watch her carefull to determine that she was not working for the Enemy. He would take it upon himself to protect the Fellowship of the Ring from destruction caused by this one woman. And he would do whatever it took to get it there.


	4. Chapter 4

**Of Roses and Rings**

NotSoJollywood

**Author's Note: **Okay! I apologize that this one is a little short. It's pretty much filler anyway, no real plot points that are happening. Sorry about that. Also, I apologize for the lack of updates recently. The semester started and I got carried away with all of the work I have to do. Blame the edTPA!

I also realize the way I have written Rose is kind of needy. I realize that she seems all "helpless without the Doctor". Or, at least, that's how she feels about herself. I know, I did that on purpose.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Lord of the Rings, or Doctor Who. They belong to the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien and the BBC, respectively.

**Chapter Four**

The city of Caras Galadhon was the most beautiful place that Rose Tyler had ever seen. She had been to so many places on her travels that had taken her breath away. But there was nothing quite like this wooded and still city before her. It was as if the woods, the trees, and everything else around her were alive. Well, of course they were alive. But they seemed more than just alive in a biological sense, they were _sentient. _

"It is the Lady of the Wood," The dark haired man, who earlier had introduced himself as Aragorn, explained, as he walked up to Rose. He spoke as if he had heard her thoughts, and answered them. Rose wouldn't be surprised if he _could _hear her thoughts; this world was full of strange and surprising things. "You look around amazed at the city; it is very beautiful. The Lady gives this land its life; she protects it with her power."

Power? Rose did not want to say it aloud, but the Lady Galadriel's power was unnerving. Rose had been in the city for a little less than a day, but she could feel the extent of the strange woman's power. Rose did not trust anything or anyone with supposed "great power". Her travels with the Doctor taught her that. "You know you shouldn't trust those that hold power. There is a reason that they say power corrupts."

"I do know it corrupts," Aragorn said, a sharpness evident in his voice. Rose knew she must have struck a never. "And the Lady knows it as well. We all do, probably better than you could imagine."

Rose raised her eyebrows, inviting him to elaborate. She hoped that she would finally get some answers as to this strange group of people, and what their purpose was. But Aragorn did not say anything else. In fact, he merely changed the subject. "Lady Galadriel has instructed that you are to come with us for the remainder of our quest." His voice sounded resigned, as if he had long given up the hope of leaving her in the city with the Elves. "She can see into men's hearts, would not insist that you accompany us if she foretold your betrayal."

Rose blinked, unsure of what she should do or say in response to his words. She did not know if she wanted to go on whatever "quest" that these people had to go on. Especially since she already knew one of their companions, Gandalf, had died along their journey. But she most certainly did not want to remain in Lothlòrien, constantly feeling the power and influence of Lady Galadriel. All she wanted to do was go back to her proper world. But the Void was sealed shut, and going through it was absolutely impossible. Whether she liked it or not, this strange new world was her home now. The realization hit her like a brick in the gut, but she dared not show it. Rose squared her shoulder, "Alright."

Aragorn looked surprised at her response, "You would risk life and limb to help strangers that you have just met to save a world that is not your own?"

Rose gave out a small chuckle, a flood of memories rushing to the forefront of her mind.  
"It isn't the first time it's happened," She had risked her life many times for people and places she had never seen before, or since. It was almost a comfort to have an adventure to occupy her thoughts. She was still the help of other worlds, the defender of those who could not defend themselves. Aragorn raised his eyebrows, imploring her to elaborate on her cryptic remarks.

Rose hesitated for a moment; she did not want to discuss the Doctor with these strange people. He was not something that she wanted to share with others. She wanted to keep the Doctor and her memory of him to herself, her own little secret. Besides, that amazing mad man in a blue box was in her past now. She could not dwell on it; she needed to move on. So, instead of going into more detail, Rose just shrugged, "I used to travel with the Do- a friend of mine. We met and helped a lot of people."

Aragorn nodded, but frowned at her answer. He did not seemed satisfied with the answer that she gave him, but he did not press for more details. "What training do you have? How do you fight?"

"Fight?" Rose repeated.

"Yes, fight," Aragorn said, "What do you use? A sword? Bow? You must be able to defend yourself if you have helped to save other worlds."

Rose frowned. Of course people would think she would have used a weapon to get herself out of the situations that she had been in. How could she explain to them that the Doctor had a strict philosophy against the use of violence? That the Doctor's brain, matched with her enthusiasm and devotion had saved them more times than taking up arms could. "I don't use either. I've never actually had to fight before. Well, physically at least."

"If you are to come with us," Aragorn sighed, clearly annoyed at her lack of skill, "You will have to learn how to defend yourself. We have to protect the hobbits, and that is enough of a challenge without an extra burden. I will procure a sword and bow for you, and you will have to learn to use them. Legolas and I will teach you how. Will that be a problem?"

Rose could think of a thousand different reasons as to why that could be a problem. But she did not want to make this man angrier or more burdened than he already seemed. Not when her life could depend on him one day. She shook her head and vowed to do the best that she possibly could. "If I am going with you on this super important top secret mission, shouldn't I know exactly what we are doing? What am I getting myself into?"

"You are right; it would be unfair to ask you to risk your life for something when you do not know our purpose." Aragorn replied, turning to the campsite that was set up for the group of nine in the city. "Follow me, and we shall explain everything."

Legolas did his best to hide his fury as Aragorn and Rose approached the Fellowship's camp. He did not want this strange woman with them for this quest; it was too important for just anyone to come along with them. It was also immensely dangerous, and there could not be any distractions from the task at hand. But he would not question the judgment of the Lady Galadriel. If she dictated that this young woman was to join their company then it was not his place to protest.

"Lady Rose will be joining us on the rest of our journey," Aragorn announced, as the remaining members of the Fellowship congregated around the area. The hobbits, particularly Merry and Pippin, expressed excitement. They were the ones who interacted the most with the young woman. Gimli looked resigned to the fact that she would be with them for the remainder of the quest. Boromir was the only one who looked alarmed at the announcement. But not for the same reason that the elf was.

"A woman?" Boromir asked, incredulously. "She cannot come with us; she will not be able to face any Orcs. She will burden us even more with another person to protect."

"I will be able to handle myself just fine," The woman replied, obviously offended by the Gondorian's words. "I've faced Daleks and Cybermen, and have watched my world get invaded. And I helped to save it. Put a sword in my hand, I will do the rest myself." Boromir merely laughed at her assertion. Legolas had to admit that he felt similar to the man. She claimed to have faced dangerous creatures before, but Legolas could not believe it. Not when he had never heard of such creatures.

"I'm sorry," Frodo piped up, speaking for the first time since the announcement was made. "But what exactly are these Daleks and Cybermen that you speak of?" The Ring-bearer had asked the question that was on everybody's mind.

"Daleks," Rose said, shuddering as the mere word rolled off of her tongue. Legolas could see the fear in her eyes; he could only assume that she must have been recalling a painful memory with these creatures. "They're like robots, with a living creature inside them. They have no emotions, and have only one goal. They want to destroy everything and exterminate everyone that is not a Dalek. The Cybermen are not much better. They take people, and take all of the humanity out of them – saying that the better people that way."

"They came to my world," Rose explained further, "First the Cybermen. No one knew what they were at first, they appeared as ghosts. Torchwood, which is a group of scientists and soldiers, I guess you could say… Well, they thought that they could control it, but they couldn't. They were studying this sphere, which had all of these strange properties. The ghosts were a side effect of the sphere. The sphere actually contained Daleks, and this thing they called the Genesis Arc. The Daleks used it reproduce… The Doctor and I had to stop them from destroying everyone. So we sent them back into the Void."

Legolas listened to her tale in amazement. He could not believe that things like this could actually happen. It was far too strange. Although, with the Enemy's power growing once more in Mordor, he knew better than to doubt strange tales. But this Doctor that she spoke of – this was the man Legolas saw her speaking to on the edge of the city. This was the man that he was curious about. "Who exactly is this Doctor?"

Rose looked at him, obviously remembering their confrontation. She gave him a glaring look, "I met the Doctor when I was nineteen years old. He – he saved me from these living plastic mannequins. He took me away from home, from my boring life. And he took me on adventures. He and I saved planets together, and saw the stars. The Doctor was my best friend; I would do anything for him. I – well, it doesn't matter."

Aragorn pressed, "It does matter. Anything you may have hidden from us could endanger us all on the way to Mordor."

"It doesn't," Rose replied, the sternness evident in her voice. "The Void sealed itself shut – there is no way that anyone, even the Doctor, could travel between worlds anymore. The Doctor won't show up here, or anywhere else in this world. He can't, it's impossible." Legolas could tell that the woman was fighting back tears. All of his years of experience in the world would never prepare him for seeing a woman cry. He looked at Aragorn, his eyes pleading to let the subject drop. Before Aragorn could even press for more information, Rose spoke up, "But you know enough about me now. Can someone please explain to me what we are supposed to be doing?"

"Before we start telling her anything," Pippin was the first one to speak, and he looked right at Rose, "What's a scientist?"

Legolas was surprised at the way that Rose handled the news of the One Ring and the pending journey to Mordor. She took the news fairly well, and seemed to comprehend the dangers that they all faced. Legolas could not believe her calm resolve. But if the stories that she told were indeed true, then she had already faced many different perils in her life.

After the Fellowship finished telling her the tale of the One Ring, and their journey so far, Rose excused herself. She looked tired, as if the quest was already taking its toll on her. Legolas also guessed that it had to do with this Doctor that she spoke of. Anyone could tell that it pained her to answer the Fellowship's many questions about him. The hobbits quickly followed Rose to bed, all eager for rest. Soon enough, it was just Legolas and Aragorn left awake. Legolas was grateful for the opportunity to speak with his friend. Ever since he witnessed Rose speaking to the Doctor that day, he wanted to tell Aragorn about it. But before he could say anything, the man began to speak.

"Legolas," Aragorn said, slipping into the Sindarin tongue, "She will need to be taught how to fight." Legolas nodded; he had been expecting as much. He could easily procure a bow from Haldir or one of the Galadhrim. He would teach her how to shoot.

"I saw this Doctor that she spoke of," Legolas said, breaking the comfortable silence between the two of them, "He appeared like an apparition, out of nowhere. He said that she was believed dead in her world. And when he discovered that she was not where she was supposed to be, he vowed to come and find her."

"So she was speaking the truth about this man," Aragorn said, his eyebrows raised in a look of surprise, "I had my doubts."

"Are you not worried about this man returning?"

"Did you see her expression when she spoke of the possibility of that happening?" Aragorn asked, sighing. "She truly believed that there was no hope of him coming back for her. She said that it was impossible."

"And you believe her?"

"She looked heart broken, Legolas. I recognize her pain," His friend replied, with a distant expression on his face. The Mirkwood prince dropped his gaze; he knew of his friend's pain. Aragorn was also separated from someone, with little hope of seeing her again.

But in the silence, Legolas let his thoughts drift back to the blonde woman in their company. _I love you_, she said those words to the Doctor. He frowned, feeling sorry for both his friend and the stranger. To be separated from one's love was worse than dying for some. Legolas was grateful that he never had felt affection for anyone. Yet, at the same time, he was jealous of them both. One of the greatest things in life that an elf could experience was to be bonded in love.

The night dragged on, and Legolas could find neither peace nor rest. Instead, he found himself thinking of that strange woman from another world.


End file.
